All-American Candidate
HARLES JOHNSON ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATE University of Colorado Focus on that - nothing else.” Charles had 3.3 grades and started on the varsity basketball team as a sophomore. starter in football for his junior year. If determination. years, maybe he could leave his dreadful situation.
Arthur, Texas.
Right after his sophomore year in June, two friends asked Charles to attend their graduation. important to him shoes for the graduation ceremony.
Christine. to borrow it and promised to pay it back Cocaine.
They lived in motels, apartments and Eleven different places. in one place for more than five months. Many Charles would go to bed hungry.
Craries took pills from his mother’s purse and spread them along his blanket in 20 groups of two. brief note, “Bye Mom and Christine, I love you.” thought would be his final terrible moment of life, he took the pills and laid down on his bed with the note resting on his forehead. and waited for death to come. That was in June 1989 at the end of Charles’ sophomore year at Cajon High School in San Bernardino, California. man to want to escape life through suicide?
Johnson is one of the most remarkable stories we've every had at Bigger Faster that I didn't have to eat. I learned to take the pain,” said Charles. returned. ferent.
“There were too many problems and too much I just couldn't handle,” remembered Charles. the first time I gave up.” He dug up some loose change and bought some cards graduation.
Charles gave the cards to another friend and told him to hand them out because he wouldn’t be at graduation.
Charles but this time, the effect was difthings like food were spent on drugs.
Charles Johnson, Nickname: C.J. houses. is getting an education through sports. mankind. yourself. and arrive at school by 7:45. He participated in football, basketball and track. struggle.
After practice, he would sell newspaper subscriptions so he could eat and have some spending money. usually home by eleven, but sometimes his mother would be missing. football practice Charles ever missed, according to Chuck Pettersen, his high It didn’t happen. time. iting everywhere. Charles sighed, “I guess it wasn't time for me to die yet.” There was an outpouring of love and support. school coach, was to look for his mother by combing the downtown area. Sometimes Charles worked so late he’d miss the last bus home. His solution was to sleep under a tree with his head resting on his book bag and then take the early morning bus home Coach Pettersen fed him some meals.
Washington and Doneka Buckner did the same with their families. Doneka was Charles’ basketball teammate and in late July, Doneka and his sisters, Tanya and Sonja, asked their mother Jerry what they could do to help. decided together. semester hours.” to live with them. semester hours to graduate. regular good food and a real home. this unbelievable overload and football, could end at any point,” said Charles. decision.
“The operation left a foot long scar. point average.
That got me focused.” done. again. sister became his reason to excel acadenot a party person.”
That was the final straw. mically. only four hours of sleep.
Charles.
IBuckners. called, continued his relentless pursuit sneakers. bered Charles. lot of credit to her.
I was very organized and also I'm Charles existed on body so my little sister would look up to of his college degree in marketing. me. room clean.”
Division I college football players gradudrugs. ate.
She had no one to go to. call whenever she wanted. four years is remarkable. of football as he snagged 29 catches for Johnson did it in three years.
654 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Arizona and Colorado. wonderful accomplishment. recruited after my injury, but I got visits “Ever hear of that?” easy to please,” joked Charles.
Colorado Football Coach Bill McCartney.
To graduate in three years and play football is truly extraordinary. enough about how hard it was and C.J.
26th overall player. and togetherness.” never knew until the end that it would finished be a reality.” of steals. Even with all this notoriety, tant part of school,” asserted C.J. enough for a state runner-up finish. not athletics.
Charles always remembered his family. During a ceramic Nebraska serving dish. wrote the following note to accompany the dish: enough money to buy presents for the rest of the family.
Merry Christmas.
Love, Charles.”
The stage was set for a spectacular senior year, but it was not to be. Charles separated the ligament from the bone in his knee.
1/2 games but still managed 8 catches rad touchdowns.
What if you got hurt? immediately and he did not redshirt. of obstacles, the ghetto, drugs or poverty. better.
Kansas State. determination. also ran the 110 highs in 14.19.
Education can change lives for the It takes a lot of hard work and You have to be goal oriented to be successful. freshman. fied. ter what the obstacle.” Coach Pettersen was like a ically. year,” ence. admitted Charles. read:
Charles Johnson Colorado Receiver Received College Degree in Three years Dear Coach, when I got faster - I became convinced. about you... motivated. year ever in track. decided to approach it... sure. the hell I went through for four years. a difference in me.
Well Coach, I guess it’s time. shape of my life. I'd recommend to start I'm now 190 pounds. lifting early in sports. better had I started in high school.” Charles E.J. “Doc” Kreis is in his first year with Colorado and has a new title C.J. has lettered three times in indoor track and twice outdoors. and we at BFS like it.
Coach.
Colorado's national qualifying mile relay team (3:09.67).
(47.2) and the 400-hurdles (50.04) which with an extensive background. strength and conditioning. qualified him for NCAA's.
Football went even better. sophomore, C.J. led the Buffs in kickoff lege. returns with a 19.4 average (10 returns) because of my mother,” said C.J., “but I really don’t drink because of athletics. receptions for 216 yards. they wouldn't be my true friend. Then it doesn't matter what is said. friend will help you do good things. fourth receiving pair in NCAA history to They back you and listen to you but will stop you when things aren't right. season. biggest thing in helping kids who go C.J. caught 57 passes fora wrong is finding a true friend.”
Colorado record amassing 1,149 yards (20.2 average) and five touchdowns.
C.J. hopes to have a prosperous NFL career and take advantage of any five TD's with the longest being 92 yards wisely. against Oklahoma. himself working in a great job and using his educational skills. leading receiver with 1,365 career yards American candidate. and love.” As far as his present family, C.J. has two to love.
C.J. did in the weight room. “I was stubborn,” declared C.J. refers to Mrs. Buckner as Mom. weights wouldn't help me. lifted in high school. Also, the Colorado his sisters. His real sister, Christina, is coaches thought I was lifting. now 19 and doing well. his real mother, but reports with gratiwas out for track, but then they started getting on me. last two years.
Plettl got me going for my senior year. I the family. to lift. Assistant Coach Plettl went one on one with me. great inspiration to all....
ONE SET 8 - 12 "Wouldn't want to do that. I'd do it the other way. I wouldn't igo behind the Strength (Coaches back, I'd do extra. -Charles Johnson
From BFS Magazine — Winter 1993. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
